are all protests the same?

“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” — Mahatma Ghandi

I keep ruminating on the not-so-gentle, collective unrest in the world — those moments when plaguing protests turn into huger headlines.

We see it now in the Canada convoy protest… 

The “Freedom Convoy.” Originally intended to protest vaccine mandates for crossing the U.S. border, vehicular convoys  began early this year, blockading multiple provincial capitals and border crossings. At the time of this posting, there have been no reported deaths nor significant injuries. The economic damage, no less, while still being determined, is currently estimated in the billions.

In so many places, in a hyper-partisan world, in which confidence in mainstream politics has become utterly, communally questionable, it seems various pockets of people keep hitting their boiling point, convinced that public protest is the most effective form of political expression.

Let’s acknowledge a few diverse more that got our attention (fully noting that this account is non-exhaustive)…

“Black Lives Matter” in 2020. After the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, BLM organized rallies to primarily protest police brutality and racially-motivated violence against black people. With protests occurring in 140 U.S. cities, property damage was also estimated in the low billions. According to Forbes, at least 19 persons died during the protests.

“Occupy Wall Street” in 2011. Beginning in New York City in September of 2011, the self-declared “99%” initiated a protest against income and wealth inequality and the influence of money in politics. The approximate 2 month protest cost is estimated to have cost NYC somewhere between $13-18 million, resulting in 400+ injuries and 32 deaths worldwide.

There were more, no doubt, around the globe… the “Anti-Austerity Movement” in Europe, the “Ferguson Unrest” near St. Louis, the “Gulabi Gang” in India, the “Orange Revolution” in Ukraine, the “Umbrella Movement” in Hong Kong… 

No continent nor country seems immune. To say it mildly, the protests and mass movements of the 21st Century have been significant.

The rumination is thus rampant… I wonder…

Are all protests the same?

Are some protests good and right and true and some not?

What makes a protest good and right and true?

Is it acceptable for a protest to be violent? If so, how violent? Does it matter?

If a protest is violent, does the purpose lose credibility? Validity?

When the property of the uninvolved is affected, how should that affect our advocacy?

Am I consistent in my personal advocacy or opposition?

Am I more lenient of disruptive or violent tactics when I understand the protestors’ purpose?

Am I more condemning of disruptive or violent tactics because I have no empathy for the purpose?

And lastly…

Do we really believe a gentle way can shake the world?

Respectfully…

AR

[Note: sources credited for protest data and statistics include Area Vibes, Axios, Forbes, NPR, USA Today, Wikipedia, and Yahoo!News.]